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THE PROGRAM

THERMODYNAMICS AND PROPULSION SYSTEMS

ECTS credits: 4

Objectives:

Acquire solid knowledge of the different jet propulsion-related technologies, applied to various types of vehicles. Ability to use an isentropic model of a nozzle to design the latter for a specific purpose (thrust). Ability to apply a thermodynamic approach to analyze the behavior and performance of propulsion systems based on air-breathing turbomachines (turbojets and turbofans).

 

Syllabus:

  • Jet propulsion systems and their performance criteria applied to Air-Breathing and Rocket engines: Thrust; Specific Impulse; Propulsion efficiency; Tsiolkovsky rocket equation; Breguet aircraft equation.
  • Fundamental of Compressible flows: Mach number and thermodynamics of compressible flows; Shockwaves; Conservation laws; application to Isentropic flows.
  • Rocket engine design: Stagnation and critical states; operating mode of nozzles in rocket engines; the influence of combustion pressure and temperature and of nozzle geometry on the thrust finally produced. Calculation of the resulting specific impulse.
  • Propulsion systems combustion processes: influence of fuel composition and of Air-Fuel Ratio on the performance of air-breathing combustion processes; use of liquid and solid propellants in rocket engine combustion processes.
  • Air-breathing propulsion turbomachines: Thermodynamic cycles used in turbojet or turbofans engines; the influence of pressure ratios, air, and fuel mass flow rates, blades geometries on the engine performances (specific impulse, propulsion efficiency, and specific fuel consumption).